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The sum of products of random variables arises in many applications, particularly in wireless communications. However, the analytical derivation of essential statistics, such as the probability density function and cumulative distribution function, still purveys significant challenges. The objective of this work is to derive exact formulations for the density and distribution of the sum of an arbitrary N instances, each comprising $L_{n}, n\in \{1,2,\ldots ,N\}$ products of independent Rayleigh-distributed variates. This renders our exact formulations rather flexible to comprise different fading scenarios. Based on our findings, we investigate the performance of a communication system employing a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) by deriving key metrics, such as outage probability and average bit error rate. Also, we employ the central limit theorem to approximate the sum of envelope products and performance metrics. In addition, we conduct an asymptotic analysis to deepen our understanding of the system’s performance. Specifically, we obtain simple closed-form expressions for all the metrics derived here. Our analytical results are validated through Monte Carlo simulations.

Baby corn is the name given to the female inflorescence of corn (Zea maysL.) before fertilization, being harvested in 2–3 days after the issuance of the styles‐stigmata. Currently, in Brazil, there is no specific corn cultivar for baby corn production, which leads to the use of popcorn and sweet corn cultivars because they are more accepted in the food industry. Therefore, the objective of this work was to estimate the genetic parameters and determine the efficiency of simultaneous selection based on productivity, adaptability, and stability of corn genotypes for baby corn production in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. The evaluations were conducted in 2019 on family properties in six municipalities in the state of Espírito Santo. Eleven corn genotypes were evaluated for baby corn production, being a double hybrid, four native varieties, and six commercial varieties. The design was randomized blocks with four repetitions each. The genetic parameters were estimated, which were obtained using the best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP), and the selection was carried out by the harmonic mean of the relative performance of genotypic values (HMRPGV). It was observed that the environments influenced the performance of the genotypes, configuring specific adaptation. The genotypes AG 1051, Aliança, and BR 106 presented the best performances in all the environments evaluated, considering, simultaneously, the productivity, adaptability, and stability of marketable ears. The HMRPGV method provided optimized selection of corn genotypes to produce baby corn with high productive potential, predictable behavior, and responsive to environmental stimuli. The diversification of cultivated species is a key alternative to make the activities of small farms viable.The cultivation of baby corn allows earnings four to five times greater than corn intended for grain.In Brazil, there are no specific corn cultivars to produce baby corn.The study of adaptability and stability allows selecting more productive genotypes.Genotypes with predictable behavior and responsive to environmental variations were identified.

ABSTRACTBrazil boasts one of the world’s greatest biodiversities, harboring untapped sources of native species with high levels of bioactive compounds. Among these species, Psidium cattleyanumstands out. Given the species’ technological potential and its rich composition, this study aims to conduct a comprehensive review of the current landscape of P. cattleyanum, utilizing a mixed methodological approach. A literature review was conducted alongside a bibliometric analysis by searching the Web of Science© database. Subsequently, relevant works were chosen for analysis using the VOSviewer software. It was found that Brazil and its research institutions stand as the primary contributors to studies related to this subject. Research on P. cattleyanumhas gained prominence in the fields of Plant Sciences and Food Technology, with various studies being conducted to identify and quantify bioactive and nutritional compounds, confirming that the species possesses antioxidant, antihypertensive, antidiabetic, and other properties. As a result, it can be concluded that both P. cattleyanumitself and its byproducts hold considerable potential for application in the food and pharmaceutical industries, in addition to presenting promising prospects in genetic enhancement.

In this work a multilevel nanoimprint lithography (NIL) replication process was demonstrated to produce 1D MEMS mirrors employing vertical asymmetric comb-drive electrostatic actuation, in a 200 mm wafer SOI-based process. In comparison with a direct write laser (DWL) grayscale lithography step (which for the proposed layout requires around 40 h of exposure time per wafer), this NIL method greatly enhances fabrication throughput by reliably reproducing a master's multilevel topography onto the photoresist. This study describes the NIL master fabricated using grayscale lithography, the working stamp, and the replication micromachining processes. An extensive characterization of the morphology and topography of the intermediate working stamp is provided, along with an optimization study of the replica fabrication and the alignment procedure between the replica and the mirror substrate. The MEMS device pattern was effectively replicated, exhibiting electrode gaps of 3.66 μm (grayscale process yields gaps of 3.5 μm). Discrete photoresist levels of 1.53 μm and 2.83 μm were observed, with a misalignment to the preceding metal layer of 5 μm and 10 μm in the x and y directions, respectively. These deviations were found to be within the required alignment margin defined by the layout (20 μm). The 1D MEMS mirror fabricated using this NIL process was successfully characterized using Scanning Laser-Doppler Vibrometry under atmospheric pressure conditions. The results obtained were in accordance with the theoretical design parameters, demonstrating that NIL can be successfully used as a fast, low-cost alternative lithography process to fabricate multilevel MEMS structures.

AbstractThis study explores the urban heat island (UHI) phenomenon in the Metropolitan Region of Vitória (MRV), Brazil. Two methods were employed: the traditional approach estimating the Atmospheric Urban Heat Island (UHI) using air temperature data, and the quantiles method assessing the Surface Urban Heat Island (SUHI) through medium spatial resolution images. The findings demonstrate the existence of an average heat island effect, as estimated by both UHI (+0.9 °C) and SUHI (+2.03 °C). The intensity of the atmospheric UHI is linked with higher air temperature values around midday. Additionally, the study reveals that UHI values in the MRV are more pronounced during spring and summer SUHI estimates peak during the summer months. The utilization of orbital remote sensing enables the identification of hotspots throughout the metropolitan area, with the highest temperatures observed in industrial areas, suburban neighborhoods, and densely populated regions. The advantage of the UHI method lies in its long time series, providing high temporal resolution and statistical significance over an extended period. Conversely, the SUHI method offers the advantage of considering data across the entire domain with high spatial resolution. Thus, these two methods complement each other in identifying the heat island phenomenon.

Terminalia argenteaMart. (Combretaceae), native to Brazil, is used in habitat restoration programs. Arthropods are bioindicators because their populations reflect changes in the environment. We evaluated the recovery of a degraded area by using ecological indices and analyzing arthropod interactions on T. argenteaplants. The richness and diversity of sap-sucking Hemiptera and the abundance of tending ants and Sternorrhyncha predators increased with the number of T. argentealeaves. The correlation of the abundance of tending ants and Sternorrhyncha predators was positive with that of the sap-sucking Hemiptera, and the abundance of Sternorrhyncha predators was negative with that of tending ants and sap-sucking Hemiptera. The positive correlation between the abundance, richness, and diversity of insect groups and numbers of T. argentealeaves is an example of the bottom-up regulation mechanism, with the population dynamics of the lower trophic levels dictating those of higher trophic levels. The contribution of T. argentea, a host plant of many arthropods, to the recovery of ecological relationships between organisms in degraded ecosystems is important.

Ultrasonic spectroscopy to characterize fluids has recently gained popularity as a nonintrusive and noninvasive technique. Recent studies have addressed the performance of sensors in characterizing dilute emulsions. However, it is challenging to interpret the acoustic properties of the very concentrated emulsions close to the phase inversion region. Thus, a study that explores the analysis of these properties in these samples is interesting to understand better whether the ultrasonic technique can be helpful in the characterization of these emulsions. This work aims to study the application of acoustic measurements to identify the catastrophic phase inversion point during emulsion flow in a closed-loop circuit flow. The main acoustic variables, such as sound velocity, reflection coefficient, and acoustic attenuation, were monitored to obtain an in-depth interpretation of this process. For this purpose, five experimental points of phase inversion were planned. The surfactants for each point had a different affinity with the oil (different hydrophilic–lipophilic balance, HLB). The analysis was conducted at two temperature points, with the acoustic variables monitored for each experimental point. It was possible to conclude that the acoustic variables, such as reflection and attenuation coefficients, had abrupt changes during phase inversion. These variables can be used to determine the phase inversion point and qualitatively characterize the morphology of the emulsion during the process.

This paper investigates the applicability of single point incremental forming to fabricate stiffening grooves in thin metallic panels. The work combines experimentation, finite element and analytical modelling to determine the required forces and the maximum allowable groove depths that can be produced without tearing. The analytical modelling is based on a framework that was previously developed by the authors and combines in-plane membrane stretching and fracture forming limits. Comparison of the results obtained by the analytical framework against experimental and finite element data proves its effectiveness to replicate the deformation mechanics of groove stiffening by single point incremental forming. Results also prove that groove stiffening by single point incremental forming is an easy and effective alternative to conventional reinforcement of thin metallic panels by welding or fastening of stringers.

Purpose: Health information systems in Brazil have been designed and developed in a heterogeneous manner based on local regional characteristics, resulting in a lack of health information integrity. In this context, the Brazilian Ministry of Health pointed out the need for interoperability solutions of health information systems, noting the importance of integration with national databases and alignment with Brazilian data protection laws. Therefore, this paper presents Sabiá, a platform for authentication, authorization, and data delivery based on user consent for health information systems in Brazil. Methods: Sabiá’s architecture is designed to achieve the following requirements: (R1) Provide a Federated Identity; (R2) Be a Federated Resource Manager; (R3) Collect user data from different information systems; and (R4) Deliver user data to systems based on user consent. Sabiá consists of three main components: (1) Sabiá Authorization Server, responsible for implementing Open Authentication; (2) Sabiá Collector, responsible for collecting data from different information systems; and (3) Sabiá Resource Server, responsible for delivering data previously authorized by the user to the systems. Results: After analyzing historical data, R4 functionality was selected to be submitted to performance testing because it is the process that most affects overall system performance. The tests aimed at analyzing Sabiá’s behavior in the heaviest scenario based on historical data. Conclusion: The results showed no flaws and indicated system stability and consistency, in which the user perceives a system reaction instantaneous, whose response time averages remained below 100 ms.

This paper is focused on the integration of metal forming operations in hybrid systems that combine additive manufacturing (AM) by gas metal wire arc and subtractive manufacturing by machining. The investigation is carried out in AISI 316L stainless steel wire and draws from tensile testing to incremental sheet forming of truncated conical shapes. Commercial sheets from the same material are utilized for comparison purposes. Thickness measurements, digital image correlation (DIC), circle grid analysis (CGA) and microstructural and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations are carried out to understand how different is the mechanical behaviour of the deposited metal from that of commercial metal sheets and how significant is the influence of the deposited metal microstructure on its overall formability. Results confirm that integration of metal forming operations in hybrid AM routes is feasible despite the formability of deposited metal being smaller than that of the commercial metal sheets due to the strong anisotropy induced by the dendritic based microstructure of the deposited metal. Incremental forming of two deposited parts also allows concluding that integration of metal forming operations in hybrid AM systems is a step towards green and sustainable manufacturing by extending their field of applicability to the fabrication of complex ready-to-use parts requiring combination of different processes.

This article presents a novel approach to address nonuniform heat dissipation in high-power electrical systems, focusing specifically on an electric-vehicle (EV) fast-charger system. These systems often incorporate diverse power semiconductor devices with distinct electrical loads and thermal characteristics, leading to nonuniform heat fluxes. Due to manufacturing constraints, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) heat sinks are unable to effectively handle these heat load distributions. To address this issue, this work utilizes a wire-arc thermal spray additive manufacturing technique to fabricate a topologically optimized heat sink for the thermal management of an EV fast-charger system. The optimized heat sink exhibits substantial volume reduction (81%) and mass reduction (71%) compared to a modified COTS heat sink. Experimental results demonstrate an average 27% reduction (0.02 °C/W) in overall thermal resistance and a 25% reduction (2.8 °C) in maximum heat sink surface temperature difference. Real-world implementation of the fast-charger system revealed a 78% reduction (7.6 °C) in interdevice temperature difference and a notable 14% reduction (13.1 °C) in maximum heat sink temperature within the most effective region. Numerical analysis substantiates these findings by emphasizing the significance of adapting the local Nusselt number based on the locally applied heat load. This work showcases the practicality of the proposed approach in designing and fabricating application-specific heat sink solutions for challenging thermal profiles prevalent in high-power fast-charger systems.

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A critical overview of the separation of three relevant triterpenic acids, namely betulinic, oleanolic, and ursolic acids, by liquid and supercritical fluid chromatography is presented in this review. These triterpenic acids are commonly found in different biomass residues and have raised great research attention in recent years due to their broad and valuable therapeutic properties. Accordingly, fundamental aspects such as solubilities in single and mixed solvents, commercial stationary phases (octadecylsilyl and other bonded phases like triacontylsilyl, as well as porous graphitic columns), custom adsorbents (molecularly imprinted polymers and other polymeric adsorbents), mobile phases (conventional HPLC solvents and super/subcritical fluids), mobile-phase modifiers (acidic, basic, and cyclodextrins), pre-column derivatization strategies, and influence of temperature have been compiled, analyzed and thoroughly discussed in terms of (calculated) separation selectivities, peaks resolution, orders of elution, systems descriptors, etc. The most relevant achievements and gaps in this area of research are highlighted, together with a final comparison of the separation performance of the chromatographic systems reported in the literature.

Micronutrient availability is low in Oxisols. Additionally, organic compounds in organomineral fertilizers (OMFs) used as a source of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) may interact with metallic micronutrients in the soil, altering their dynamics and availability to crops. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the effects of NPK-OMFs, produced by composting mixtures of organic residues (chicken manure and coffee husk) and monoammonium phosphate (MAP), on the dynamics of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) in the soil. The study also aimed to examine the availability and uptake of these micronutrients by maize cultivated in Oxisols. NPK-OMFs were produced using various proportions of organic residues and MAP. The availability of Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn from OMFs was determined in both whole soil and solution during maize cultivation under greenhouse conditions in Red and Yellow Oxisols, which had contrasting soil organic matter (SOM) contents. Additionally, the release rate of micronutrients was evaluated in incubated soil-OMF mixtures. Higher proportions of organic residues in OMFs decreased the Mn content in the soil solution of Oxisols. It increased Fe and Cu levels in the Oxisol with higher SOM, but reduced Fe levels in the Oxisol with the lowest SOM level. In all Oxisols, OMFs with higher organic residues enhanced the availability of Zn. In the SOM-poor Oxisol, biomass, Fe, and Mn increased in the maize shoot. The use of NPK-OMFs alters the dynamics and improves the use efficiency, significantly affecting the availability of Mn, Zn, and Fe in the soil solution and, to a lesser extent, in the whole Oxisols compared to mineral fertilizers.

Most of kinetic models applied to microalgal wastewater treatment are focused on the specific contaminant removal (i.e. correlating a limiting substrate to microbial growth) or considering autotrophic characteristic that cannot be correlated to the mixotrophic/heterotrophic cultivation of these microorganisms, specially treating wastewater. However, to find an integrated kinetic approach using the simultaneous removal of organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus (main macronutrients) is difficult considering the different characteristics of the wastewaters, and the high number of kinetic constants associated with complex models. In this sense, this study designed a procedure to apply the kinetic modelling of microalgal growth using both the Monod model and the Silva and Cerqueira model (multiple substrates), estimating the characteristic kinetic constants and simulating the bioprocess by implementation on Python language and using Particle Swarm Optimisation (PSO). For contaminants removal, the n-th order equation proved to be more suitable, with an intermediate order between 1st and 2nd order (i.e. 1 < n< 2) and with a kinetic constant 0 < k< 0.2, obtaining an error between 15 and 28%. Using the Monod model, the algorithm was able to determine μmaxand Ks,which were shown in the intervals: 0 < μmax< 4 day−1and 0 < Ks< 50 mg L−1with error of 15–25%. In the Silva and Cerqueira model, analysing the delimitation of mand presulted in the following interval of convergence between 0 < p< 0.5 and 0 < m< 2, obtaining an error between 4 and 17% was obtained (significantly lower than for Monod) and using multiple substrates. The algorithm of the procedure is presented.

ABSTRACTThe temperature control of molten steel is essential to ensure operational stability in a steelmaking plant. The calculation of thermal losses in the steelmaking plant’s operations depends on highly dynamic variables, which motivates the construction of predictive models for the steel temperature. This paper proposed a hybrid ensemble method using multiple linear and random forest regression to predict the end molten steel temperature at the secondary refining required to achieve a target tundish temperature. Combining these two methods makes it possible to account for the linear and non-linear relationships in the data. The implemented models were trained on industrial data, and their performance was assessed using root mean squared error (RMSE) and a custom accuracy metric. The results showed that the proposed hybrid method achieves up to 5% better accuracy compared to linear regression or random forest regression methods alone, thus can enhance molten steel prediction in steelmaking plants.

This paper presents an upset geometry sequence to determine the fracture forming limits in a wide variety of strain loading paths ranging from uniaxial compression to equibiaxial tension. The strains at fracture in principal strain space are obtained by combination of digital image correlation and experimental evolutions of the compression force versus time, and their representation in the effective strain versus stress triaxiality space is accomplished by means of a new analytical framework that uses the instantaneous slope of the strain loading paths. Modeling of the experimental strains at fracture by means of an uncoupled ductile fracture criterion built upon combination of the Cockcroft-Latham and McClintock criteria and fractography analysis using a scanning electron microscope allow understanding and characterizing the crack opening modes by shear and tension as well as the uncertainty region inside which mixed crack opening modes are observed. Results confirm that the overall philosophy and objectives underlying the new upset geometry sequence for determining the fracture forming limits in bulk forming resemble those of the Nakajima test that is commonly used in sheet forming.

Numerous staphylinid species can be found in termite nests. While the distributional range of termite hosts has been well studied, the same cannot be said for their associated fauna. There is a lack of comprehensive sampling even in areas where termite fauna has been well-sampled. In recent surveys in Southeastern Brazil, we collected a new species of termitophilous rove beetle from the tribe Termitohospitini (Aleocharinae): Termitosocius boraceiensissp. nov., is herein described. The new species is the first termitophile found in Boracéia, SP, Brazil, even with decades of termite sampling in the place. Additionally, we discuss the diversity and description rate of neotropical Termitohospitini, and investigate the potential of cospeciation between termites and their termitophilous beetles on the Emerson-Kistner principle. Our findings suggest that the neotropical Termitohospitini may be more diverse than previously believed and that Termitosociusspecies are present in host species that are geographically separated, implying a cospeciation scenario. Additional sampling is required to fully comprehend the relationships between termitophiles and their termite hosts. The outcomes of this study provide new insights into the undersampling scenario and possibly cospeciation between termites and their termitophiles in the Neotropical region.

ABSTRACT This work addresses the preparation of bitumen blends using asphaltic residue, vacuum residue, and three aromatic extracts (by-products) from the refining process of base oils. A constrained mixture design [...]

Although male hypogonadism (MH) is a prevalent comorbidity in patients presenting for erectile dysfunction (ED), its screening relies solely on total testosterone (TT). Ageing and other conditions can increase sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and lower free testosterone (FT) causing symptomatic MH despite normal TT. The primary objective was to measure the prevalence of normal TT/low FT among patients presenting for ED. From January 2019 to December 2020, 408 patients referred for sexual dysfunction were screened; 180 men with a confirmed diagnosis of ED were included. MH was screened using TT, SHBG, albumin and LH. FT was calculated (cFT). Low TT, high SHBG and low cFT were defined as <345 ng/dL, >50 nmol/L and <6.5 ng/dL, respectively. Patients were divided into groups according to TT/cFT status and to age group. The frequency of normal TT/low cFT was 17.2%. From all 31 patients with normal TT/low cFT, only four (12.9%) had either hyperthyroidism, hepatic disease or HIV infection, while 23 (74.2%) were older than 60 years. Patients with normal TT/low cFT were older (65.57 ± 10.43 vs. 56.79 ± 10.63 yo, p= 0.001) and had higher SHBG (78.48 ± 40.14 vs. 52.35 ± 20.39 nmol/L, p= 0.014) than patients with normal TT/cFT. Patients over 60 years represented 48.9% of the sample, 52.5% had elevated SHBG and their frequency of normal TT/low cFT was 26.3%. Normal TT/low cFT is frequent and can be missed by current screening recommendations for MH in patients presenting for ED. Ageing seems to be the main culprit as elevated SHBG prevalence increases steeply after the sixth decade. TT cannot solely be relied on to exclude biochemical MH in patients presenting for ED, especially in patients over 60 years old. Current guidelines for MH screening in ED should be amended.

ABSTRACTObjectiveTo test whether two different materials used for occlusal splints would reduce the stress to the temporomandibular joint discs.MethodsGeometric data from a young-adult male patient were obtained from computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. 3D biomodels and the finite element analyses were performed using specific software.ResultsThe mandibular model presented the highest bone stress areas in the mandibular rami and insertion of the temporalis muscles. Regardless the material, the highest stress in the occlusal splints was located in the second molar regions on the occlusal splint surface and in the opposing mandibular second molars. Stress reduction was only observed in the internal surface of the occlusal splints embracing the maxillary teeth. No differences between occlusal splints were found in the stress intensity and distribution in either left or right TMJ discs, being concentrated more in the anterior portion of the disc.DiscussionHard acrylic OS should be preferred over soft EVA OS in the majority of cases, soft OS only for temporary use. Thinner OS (2–3 mm anterior thickness) should be preferred over thick ones (3–4 mm) in order to keep the stress concentrations in the center of the TMJ discs. Lighter contacts over heavier contacts should be preferred in the second molar OS contact surface area to prevent stress concentrations and fractures. Maxillary occlusal splints should be chosen if the teeth or implant are in the maxilla, and vice-versa.

The supply chain of Sn presents social and environmental risks that could threaten the availability of cassiterite, while secondary materials, such as tin-slags, stand as an alternative source for smelters. In this context, this work investigated the presence of occluded metallic phases in Brazilian tin-slags. Chemical analyses of different slags revealed that this fact could be related to high ZrO2levels, which was also supported by different thermodynamic studies. It was indicated that minor additions of CaO could diminish the melting temperature of these slags, contributing towards the precipitation of metallic prills. Smelting experiments were performed between 1773-1573K with a tin-slag concentrate using limestone as a fluxing agent. It was verified that metallic prills were mostly precipitated in the bottom of the crucible above 1673K. However, at 1573K, a mixture of metallic and oxidized phases was obtained, indicating that low working temperatures lead to losses of Sn in the final slag as metallic inclusions. Further additions of limestone improved the coalescence but did not allow efficient precipitation of these metallic prills. Temperature measurements were performed in a 150 kVA EAF during slag processing, and it was verified that tapping of metal/slag occurred partially below 1573K, justifying the presence of metallic prills in the studied slags. Therefore, an optimization of the process relies both on the dilution of ZrO2content by a controlled addition of fluxing agents, as well as by an increase in working temperatures. Alternatively, magnetic separation can be used to recover occluded metallic particles from final slags.

In recent years, many projects have been developed to reduce the energy consumption of buildings, both from the point of view of energy efficiency and the integration of renewable energies. However, few projects are related to the problem of integrating DER in environments dominated by high-tech equipment, the so-called ”critical loads”: data centers, railroad stations, airports, and hospitals. The European Interreg Sudoe IMPROVEMENT project aim is to renovate existing public buildings where critical loads predominate, converting them into nearly zero-energy buildings (NZEB), and for this purpose, it integrates combined cooling, heat, and power (CCHP) microgrid with renewable and other distributed energy resources (DER) like hybrid energy storage systems (ESS). With still one year to go before the end of the project, the consortium partners present in this position paper the latest progress of their respective work packages to date.

The globally important carbon sink of intact, old-growth tropical humid forests is declining because of climate change, deforestation and degradation from fire and logging1–3. Recovering tropical secondary and degraded forests now cover about 10% of the tropical forest area4, but how much carbon they accumulate remains uncertain. Here we quantify the aboveground carbon (AGC) sink of recovering forests across three main continuous tropical humid regions: the Amazon, Borneo and Central Africa5,6. On the basis of satellite data products4,7, our analysis encompasses the heterogeneous spatial and temporal patterns of growth in degraded and secondary forests, influenced by key environmental and anthropogenic drivers. In the first 20 years of recovery, regrowth rates in Borneo were up to 45% and 58% higher than in Central Africa and the Amazon, respectively. This is due to variables such as temperature, water deficit and disturbance regimes. We find that regrowing degraded and secondary forests accumulated 107 Tg C year−1(90–130 Tg C year−1) between 1984 and 2018, counterbalancing 26% (21–34%) of carbon emissions from humid tropical forest loss during the same period. Protecting old-growth forests is therefore a priority. Furthermore, we estimate that conserving recovering degraded and secondary forests can have a feasible future carbon sink potential of 53 Tg C year−1(44–62 Tg C year−1) across the main tropical regions studied.

One of the main driving forces of the Apis melliferacolony losses reported worldwide is the nutritional stress associated with monoculture areas. We previously demonstrated under field conditions that nutritional stress that occurred during the fall impacts honey bee colony strength and health in the short and long-term. Pollen supplementation to colonies during a nutritionally stressful period increased adult and brood populations and decreased the infection level of Nosema ceranae. When brood production continues in the winter season, pollen supplementation during this period could be another strategy to help colonies recover from the negative impact of the nutritional stress that occurred in the fall. Thus, in this study, we analyzed if supplementing colonies with polyfloral pollen in winter could be a useful strategy to mitigate fall nutritional stress. Firstly, colonies were exposed to a natural nutritional stress scenario. Secondly, they were relocated and divided into two experimental groups: one group was supplemented with polyfloral pollen, while the other remained as a control. The strength and health of the colonies were analyzed. Pollen supplementation increased adults and brood populations in the coldest months and it did not affect the infection level of Nosemaspp. or RNA viruses. These results suggest that the negative impact of nutritional stress during the fall is difficult to mitigate during the winter.

Steel refining in a continuous casting tundish using flow modifiers is a common practice in the steel industry given its positive effect on the removal of inclusions from the steel bath. In this work, the effect of replacing the turbulence inhibitor with dams and the effect of the teeming ladle and ladle shroud set misalignment on inclusion removal have been evaluated through physical model simulation. The effect on the residence time distribution and the refractory wear have also been investigated. It has been shown that for larger particles, the inclusion removal efficiency with turbulence inhibitor was not very different as compared with the dams. However, in the case of smaller particles, the inclusion removal efficiency was 7.15% greater than the case of dams in comparison with the inhibitor. The inlet asymmetry led to a drop in the removal efficiency of smaller inclusion particles. For increased inlet asymmetry, greater refractory wear of the weirs should be expected for configurations without turbulence inhibitors.

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Current military operations require flexible and adaptable troops, which must be able to cooperate with civilian agencies and coalitions in open field and urban scenarios. These challenges require informed decisions not only at headquarters, but also at the edge of the battlefield, together with network-enabled skills and agile Command and Control (C2) Systems. The C2 system should ensure a timely and secure dissemination of information, obtained from interconnected devices, such as radars, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), sensors, armored combat vehicles and wearable devices. These networked sensors and effectors constitute the Internet of Battle Things (IoBT). This work investigates a secure network strategy to achieve C2 agility in the IoBT heterogeneous environment, by coupling the application and network with a multi-layer, defense-in-depth cybersecurity mechanism at the hardware, network and application level. The planned framework uses the Software-Defined Networking (SDN) paradigm to orchestrate network services, by means of semantics-oriented data from technologies such as Information Centric Networks (ICN) and Delay-Tolerant Networks (DTN). The results from preliminary simulated scenarios showed a significant improvement in network metrics, as well as network resilience to withstand cyber-attacks.

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Purpose: Compared with mineral fertilizers, the use efficiency of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) from organomineral matrices increases as biochar is mixed with acidulated apatite to produce slow-release NPK-biochar-based fertilizers (BBFs). The BBFs reduce P losses while improving plant nutrition in Oxisols. Thus, the aim of this study was to synthetize and evaluate the effects of slow-release BBFs produced by mixing coffee waste-derived biochar with acidulated apatite. Methods: The agronomic efficiency of BBFs was evaluated through the cultivation of maize in greenhouse conditions. The availability of NPK in whole soil and solution and the kinetics of P released by fertilizers in water and citric acid leachates were evaluated as well. Results: Compared with mineral fertilizers, N and K supplied by BBFs did not improve the nutrition of maize plants. Triple superphosphate (TSP) released nearly all the total P, while the BBFs released less than 10% of the P released by the TSP in the first 24 h. Biochar based-fertilizers, depending on the synthesis route adopted, produced a greater or similar maize biomass. The acquisition of P from BBFs was greater than that of NPK supplied via mineral fertilizers. Thus, BBFs can slow the release of P in water leachates and, simultaneously, release high levels of P in citric acid leachates. Conclusions: The BBFs formulated with coffee husk-derived biochar and acidulated apatite are a sustainable and efficient approach to producing NPK sources with higher agronomic effectiveness than soluble mineral fertilizers. The BBFs improved the nutritional status and growth of maize and the residual available soil P content in the Oxisols as well (Ferralsols).

Recently, an extension to the $\eta$-$\mu$ fading model was proposed that generalizes the classic $\eta$-$\mu$ one with the introduction of cluster imbalance. This feature renders the Extended $\eta$-$\mu$ fading model to accommodate more diverse fading scenarios, ranging from very severe to more favorable ones. On the other hand, some statistics, such as level crossing rate, outage probability, and bit error probability, are found in terms of more elaborate formulations, e.g., double hypergeometric functions. Even though some of these functions are available in mathematical packages, such as Wolfram Mathematica, their evaluation still hinders usability. In this paper, capitalizing on the use of discrete values of the number of multipath clusters, we derive relevant envelope statistics. These statistics are obtained in closed-form expressions, written in terms of either elementary or simple functions. Furthermore, we derive formulations for the product of an arbitrary number and the ratio of two Extended $\eta$-$\mu$ variates. These expressions are used to evaluate the following: (i) the exact coverage probability, (ii) the outage probability, and (ii) the bit error probability for coherent binary modulation schemes, all applied to systems aided by intelligent reflective surfaces (IRS). Simulations results show adherence to the proposed analytical framework.

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Synthetic insecticides used in the management of the mealybug Diaspis echinocacti (Bouché, 1833) (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) can contaminate co-products from this plant. The use of Agave extracts and/or mineral oil is a sustainable alternative to reduce the residual effect of these chemicals in the palm production chain. The objective here was to determine the effectiveness of Agave genotype extracts applied alone or mixed with mineral oil against the cactus scale mealybug D. echinocacti. Two experiments were carried out to achieve this goal. The first one aimed to select the most promising Agave genotype extract concentration (CL80) to kill 80% of the first instar mobile nymphs of D. echinocacti (Experiment 1), and the second to determine the effectiveness of the selected extract against nymphs, pupae, and adults of different ages of this mealybug in laboratory and greenhouse (Experiment 2). The extract of the genotype Agave fourcroydes cv. Cabinho with lethal concentration (LC80) of 10.9 mL/10 mL is the most efficient in causing mortality of D. echinocacti. The lethal concentration of the A. fourcroydes cv. Cabinho killed 80% of the first instar motile nymphs and more than 74% of the nymphs, pupae, and adults of different ages of D. echinocacti in the laboratory and greenhouse followed by Agave sisalana cv. Tatuí 3. Furthermore, the mortality of this scale mealybug was higher with applications of mineral oil (Assist), alone or mixed with sisal extracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work was aimed at applying machine learning techniques to predict Semi-Solid Fermentation (SSF) yield using Cunninghamella echinulatafungus for alginate lyase production using Sargassummacroalgae genus as substrate. Approximately 115 experimental data were obtained as a result of the variation of the following factors: tc(cultivation time) (1–7 days), Ci(inoculum concentration) (2.106–1.107spore/gbiomass), pHNutri(nutrient solution pH) (2.5–8.5), uw/w(moisture content) (65–85% w/w) and %inducer(sodium alginate concentration) (0–33.33% w/w), which were the input variables and alginate lyase enzyme concentration (U mL−1) as the output variable. The programming language employed was Python, through its SciPylibrary. The non-linear relationship between fermentation, the factors and objectives were determined using the learning capacity of Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and the Support Vector Machine (SVM), through the correlation coefficient (R2). For ANN, with 15 neurons and using the logistic activation function, a R2= 0.877 was obtained. SVM, with a polynomial kernel function obtained R2= 0.821. In both models, the variables with influence were tc, uw/w, %inducerand pHNutri. Cidid not have any significant influence in the range studied. In both methods, the R2found was considered satisfactory contributing to the optimization of the alginate lyase production using Cunninghamella echinulata.

IMPORTANCE: It is currently unknown how often and in which ways a genetic diagnosis given to a patient with epilepsy is associated with clinical management and outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate how genetic diagnoses in patients with epilepsy are associated with clinical management and outcomes. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study of patients referred for multigene panel testing between March 18, 2016, and August 3, 2020, with outcomes reported between May and November 2020. The study setting included a commercial genetic testing laboratory and multicenter clinical practices. Patients with epilepsy, regardless of sociodemographic features, who received a pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) variant were included in the study. Case report forms were completed by all health care professionals. EXPOSURES: Genetic test results. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Clinical management changes after a genetic diagnosis (ie, 1 P/LP variant in autosomal dominant and X-linked diseases; 2 P/LP variants in autosomal recessive diseases) and subsequent patient outcomes as reported by health care professionals on case report forms. RESULTS: Among 418 patients, median (IQR) age at the time of testing was 4 (1-10) years, with an age range of 0 to 52 years, and 53.8% (n = 225) were female individuals. The mean (SD) time from a genetic test order to case report form completion was 595 (368) days (range, 27-1673 days). A genetic diagnosis was associated with changes in clinical management for 208 patients (49.8%) and usually (81.7% of the time) within 3 months of receiving the result. The most common clinical management changes were the addition of a new medication (78 [21.7%]), the initiation of medication (51 [14.2%]), the referral of a patient to a specialist (48 [13.4%]), vigilance for subclinical or extraneurological disease features (46 [12.8%]), and the cessation of a medication (42 [11.7%]). Among 167 patients with follow-up clinical information available (mean [SD] time, 584 [365] days), 125 (74.9%) reported positive outcomes, 108 (64.7%) reported reduction or elimination of seizures, 37 (22.2%) had decreases in the severity of other clinical signs, and 11 (6.6%) had reduced medication adverse effects. A few patients reported worsening of outcomes, including a decline in their condition (20 [12.0%]), increased seizure frequency (6 [3.6%]), and adverse medication effects (3 [1.8%]). No clinical management changes were reported for 178 patients (42.6%). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Results of this cross-sectional study suggest that genetic testing of individuals with epilepsy may be materially associated with clinical decision-making and improved patient outcomes.